


Everything Else Is A Replica

by incineratethelimes



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: M/M, Post Star Trek: Into Darkness, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-06
Updated: 2013-06-06
Packaged: 2017-12-14 04:29:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/832750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/incineratethelimes/pseuds/incineratethelimes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hikaru has trouble deciding what to replicate, seeing as none of it will taste right anyway. Cue one Ensign Chekov getting excited about food leading to a mini epiphany on Sulu's part.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Everything Else Is A Replica

**Author's Note:**

> I literally have no idea I am very sorry I think I might be hungry. I'm not too sure about how much I have disgraced canon by talking about the Enterprise having Cardassian delicacies on the replicator menu, but I hope to maybe make up for it with Chekov being a cutie patootie!  
> Disclaimer: I do not own star trek, any of it's characters or a replicator (sadly).

Sulu was sitting in the mess hall, having a very intense discussion with himself about whether or not to have replicated Regova egg or replicated Sem'hal stew. He always had liked Cardassian food, despite never quite knowing what was supposed to be in it. He figured it was all replicated anyway, what did it matter and scoffed at the replicator menu, realising at the last minute that yep, _everyone had probably seen that_.

Cheeks burning with embarrassment he risked a look to his left, sighing when he saw Ensign Chekov standing there watching him, a smirk playing on his lips, hip leaning against the tray rack.

"Ensign... sorry for taking so long," Hikaru apologised, wishing his navigator of all people didn't have the chance to laugh at him. No, Chekov wasn't laughing, just watching him with an amused expression. Hikaru groaned, rubbing a hand over his face to disguise his embarrassment and gave a harsh bark of laughter.

"Is not problem, Lieutenant." Chekov tilted his head and met Sulu's eyes, "Sometimes I also have hard time with decision." 

"I just never know what to get, y'know? All these different cultures and delicacies and just all I want is a hamburger and fries," Hikaru's hands, once done with their ridiculous gesture, came to rest against his tray. It was a nervous gesture, and why the hell was he nervous talking to Chekov? He knew really, couldn't escape it. He shouldn't feel this way around him, and he was only as bad as the rest of the ship, falling prey to the apparent vulnerability that Chekov appeared to exude. He didn't want to bore him, in case he scuttled off to someone else that wanted to covet him.

But then he realised that talking about food from home only seemed to make the navigator more animated, his face opening up and his mouth stretched in a smile.

" _Da_! I have often wished to have food of Russia, things like _Borshch_ or _Pirozhki_! But _nyet_ , is shame, this replicator food never have right flavour." Chekov shook his head sadly, but his smile stayed on his face.

"I've never had..." and then Hikaru looked at Chekov, really _looked_ at him. He let himself trail off and just took in the young navigator in front of him, who got excited about tactics and solutions and realised, _he wanted to talk to him_. Wanted to find out about Chekov's life back home, at the academy, in Russia, all of it. Hell, even his life on the _Enterprise_ , as mundane as it was since their mission had actually begun.

Chekov wasn't a kid any more, and Sulu wanted to sit with him in the mess and find out what made him tick. What made him laugh, and smile, and pissed him off. How he looked when he was tired after working too many hours on the bridge. How many times he could make him laugh in front of the captain without anyone else knowing. But most of all, he wanted to know how soft his skin was, how his hair looked when he woke up in the morning... how his eyes looked when Hikaru knew he wanted him.

"Hey, Chekov, do you maybe wanna sit with me? And eat?" He hoped he looked open enough, just flirty enough for Chekov to pick up on his new revelation, if only just to humour him for a while.

He wasn't expecting the grin that seemed to take over the navigators face and light up his eyes. Not like that, not for him, surely. He'd never seen anything as bright crossing his face before, not even when they'd all got on board the ship, ready to warp halfway across the universe, adventure burning through everyone's veins.

" _Da_ , yes! I would love this," and with that Hikaru felt a weight lift from him, the embarrassment from earlier completely gone, replaced with a feeling that could only be Chekov, as though he were floating on the surprised laugh that escaped his mouth.

"But first you must start calling me Pavel," and Hikaru will swear to this day that Chekov winked at him before spinning away to pick out a table somewhere across the mess hall, his eyes watching him once he had found a place to sit. Hikaru fumbled his attention back to the replicator and ordered as much food as he could to make sure Pavel would stay as long as possible. 

He wanted to make this five year mission last, and maybe he'd found the one thing on this ship that left the _right_ taste in his mouth.


End file.
